The Battlefield of Basketball: It's Just Began
by Pericat
Summary: 'Who is this girl' was the collective thought of the whole Seirin team, though Teppei had a small grin on his face as they all watched the unfolding drama. Whoever this Gome-chan was, she was important. Maybe even more then the Generation of Miracles to get this reaction from their expressionless teammate, Kuroko.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own either Inuyasha or Kuroko no Basket. They belong to their respective authors.**

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The Battlefield of Basketball: It's Just Began

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Prologue: The End is a Beginning

_Feudal Era- Japan_

_Year 1502_

Kagome watched in horrified resignation as Naraku somehow ripped his soul and youki out of his physical body, just before they destroyed it with her purifying arrow, Sesshomaru's Bakusaiga, and Inuyasha's Adamant Barrage, and he was sucked right into the nearly complete Shikon no Tama. She closed her eyes with a sigh, _'We should have guessed he would pull something like this.'_

Opening her eyes, determination glowed in their sapphire depths. It had been five years just to get to this 'final battle' and she wanted this over with. Thankfully she had a plan, had had this as a backup plan for two years now, ever since she had knuckled down and studied the scrolls left in her family shrine. She had even asked her grandfather for information! Surprisingly, her ji-san knew quite a bit about spiritual powers and youkai, even some things that Miroku didn't know.

Kagome shook her head; so much of the information that the group had was wrong or misconstrued, but she'd never gotten up the nerve or desire to tell them and battle out all the arguments that would follow. It would have cost too much energy from everyone: especially her.

She had finally finished high school with only average grades; as well as, studied weaponry with Sango and honed her spiritual powers with Miroku. Even Sesshomaru had helped with her training when he had joined his pack to theirs a year ago. He was, obviously, skilled with a blade and even had youkai techniques that helped refine her powers. She had never told anyone, but sometimes his advice worked better than Miroku's when it came to controlling her powers. Though she still was an amateur compared to those who _knew_ and worked to control their spiritual powers since childhood. Still, three years had been long enough for her to depend on everyone else to watch her back and save her when she was in distress. Kagome grimaced, _'Geh, I've had enough being the damsel in distress to last me a lifetime.'_

Staring at the now purple stone that was floating in a malevolent aura, she was so glad that Shippou and Rin were safe in Edo, guarded by A-Un and Jaken, and far away from this. Drawing a deep breath, Kagome dropped her bow and ignored everyone as she poured out the eleven shards she had into her hand. _'I really, really hope this works.'_ Cupping her hand she lifted them up and pushed all the power she had within her to the surface. Those still standing around her felt the energy build up as her hair moved in ripples and she started to glow pink before she turned a brilliant blue white- so bright it hurt their eyes to look at her. Kagome's soul was shining outside of her body again, though this time, without Kanna and her void mirror involved the light was a deeper, more natural blue tone in the brilliant white. In her hands a pure pink show from the shards.

Opening her eyes, her friends saw that they were an endless blue, lit with her power, like the ocean on a clear bright day. "Shikon no Tama," her voice rang in the dead still air like a clarion bell, "I offer no wish or plea, but a bargain. Something gained for something given. Come," Kagome stretched out her hands. "Come home."

The stone seemed to quiver in the air before it shot forward like a purple comet to land in her hands. Closing her hands over it, the energies around her condensed and then exploded outward. The energies shimmered into a barrier of purple, pink, white, black, and light blue that completely hid Kagome from everyone's view.

* * *

Losing sight of Kagome spurred Inuyasha out of his shock and he ran at the barrier, "Kagome! Oi, wench! Let me through!" When he attacked the barrier with his sword, it didn't break or even shock him like the others thought it would, instead a web of the same colors was spat out and trapped him on the ground thrashing and cursing like a landed fish. As he tried to get free the others more cautiously approached the barrier, studying the interlaced colors without touching it.

"It's similar to a barrier created by five spiritually powerful souls." Miroku, though exhausted and covered in cuts and yokai guts, carefully nudged the barrier with the tip of his staff. A flare of energy ran up the staff, but once it hit his hand it dissipated. "Very powerful souls with enough skill and knowledge to give the barrier a semi-sentient state to judge intent for the look of it."

"So how to we break it monk?" Inuyasha snarled still stuck covered in ethereal netting.

"Hn, Kagome has made a wise move and clearly does not desire any interference." Sesshomaru's voice was still utterly bland. Even having traveled with them for nearly a year, he rarely interacted with anyone in the group unless it was necessary. The only exception to this was Kagome. In the evening after they had made camp, she would often gravitate over to where he was sitting and they would hold long discussions, occasionally even debates, about philosophy and many other topics. As expected this shocked the rest of the group and drove Inuyasha up a tree, often literally so he could get away from seeing Kagome near his bastard of a brother. He'd learned that if he interrupted their discussions Kagome would often osuwari him into the ground. It had only taken three months for this truth to be hammered into Inuyasha's skull, still he couldn't stand his icy cold half-brother.

"And how's that bastard?" Inuyasha snarled.

Sesshomaru looked down his nose at him, "There is no such concept as a pure wish. For even a wish for others will likely still benefit oneself. Kagome has realized this and seeks instead to bargain with the jewel; thus avoiding the wish and keeping free of the consequences that have befallen all who have carried the Shikon before her."

"But, what about wishing for the jewel to just disappear?" Sango had crouched down to look over the web covering Inuyasha. Kirara, now in her kitten form, sat beside her, cleaning grime and blood from her fur as she listened. "Wouldn't that work?"

Miroku shook his head. "Even if she did it for noble reasons, Kagome-sama would still benefit for she would be free from the burden of protecting the Shikon no tama, as Kikyo-san wished when she guarded it." He flicked a glance at Kikyo who lingered at the edge of the clearing watching, but came no closer.

"Oi monk, don't bring Kikyo into this!"

Sango scoffed, "She's been in it from the start, baka, ever since she was reanimated in a clay husk of a human. And _you're_ the one whose always saying that Kagome is Kikyo's copy and has to fix what she broke."

"She promised that I could have the Shikon to make my wish!"

"Foolish hanyou, there are five energy signatures within that barrier. Does your small mind not comprehend what this means?"

"Shut your trap, Sesshomaru! Why are you even still here, you bastard?"

"To ensure that the outcome is to this Sesshomaru's satisfaction."

Before Inuyasha could do anything more than gnash his teeth, Miroku interjected, "Lord Sesshomaru, I can understand having four souls in the barrier- Kagome-sama, Naraku, Midoriko-sama, and Magatsuhi; but the last…would be the Shikon no Tama itself?" he paused, studying the barrier and colors. Sesshomaru flicked a glance at Miroku before striding up to the barrier and laying his hand on it. Aside from a brief flicker the barrier did nothing to him. "Hn, answer this monk. If Midoriko and Magatsuhi have been in conflict within the jewel since it was created, who would grant the wish and chose the consequences?"

"You are suggesting that the Shikon itself was doing this. But why would a jewel made from the clash of Midoriko-sama's great fight with Magatsuhi have it's own power, it's own….soul?"

"Keh monk, it's a jewel, it doesn't have smarts." The barrier suddenly flared pink and the net zapped Inuyasha who whined in pain.

"And that, _little_ brother, both proves this one's point and confirms that you are an imbecile."

Sango interrupted before Inuyasha could shout off curses in retaliation. "But how did this happen? It doesn't make sense for a jewel to have a soul, a non-living creation to have a soul."

"Does it not, slayer? What brings a soul to a body?"

Sango floundered before looking over at Miroku who had sat down right next to the barrier and was, in fact, using it as a backrest. "Miroku?"

He glanced at her, looked over at the daiyoukai, before leaning his head against the barrier and staring up into the overcast sky. Kirara, finally clean, came over and hopped into his lap for a nap as he answered her Mistress. "A soul comes from the Kami to a body when two souls in two bodies come together and a child is conceived, the soul then has a house for itself in the new baby." Looking over at Sesshomaru he continued, " I believe Lord Sesshomaru is implying that the battle between Midoriko-sama and Magatsuhi drew a soul to the Shikon no tama."

Sesshomaru shook his head, "No, this one is saying a _new _soul was created. A blend of youkai and miko, light and darkness."

Miroku frowned, "…That should not be possible."

Inuyasha scoffed, "Doesn't that make the jewel a hanyou? It has a human and youkai for its 'parents'."

"And yet again you display the ignorance you possess." Sesshomaru turned away from them to look out over the plain that they had fought on. He seemed to contemplate something as silence fell over them. "Hn, this one will only speak of this once, listen well Inuyasha.

"Youkai do not have souls as humans do. We are nature spirits, born from the power and life of the earth itself. Each time a youkai is born we are an original soul. The high youkai live longer than humans, some have been known to see several thousand years of life. Even the lower youkai, who often live in their base instincts have greater lifespans than humans. Rarely do we die of old age or sickness as the humans do, we are more likely to die fighting in battle.

"Thus the Kami do not have us share in the reincarnation of souls as the humans do. We are more than a life lived again and again though the ages. We are like the earth, whereas most humans are the weeds and flowers upon the earth, quick to live and quick to expire."

Turning back to the group avidly listening to him Sesshomaru flicked his hair over his shoulder. "Hanyou are not youkai. They carry a human soul within a body that is, in part, youkai. Thus they are despised, for they can never match the true might and power of a full youkai. For a youkai, power and strength are greatly valued."

"Oi, I've beat and killed a lot of youkai, bastard! I've even beaten you!"

Sesshomaru sneered, "Did you not use our father's fang to do so? Do you not have his blood flowing through your veins? The Inu no Tashio held great power and strength, even your human mother's blood could not dilute all the potential, but you have no control. You would be lost within your base instincts without the sword binding your youkai blood, for you have not the soul to contain and harness the power. Many hanyou become berserkers, their human souls drunk on the power their youkai blood gives, and kill all in their path, recognizing neither kin nor friend."

There was a pause, before Miroku spoke up, "What of Horaijima Island? It was a peaceful place with youkai and humans living in harmony with many hanyou children."

"And were not most of those hanyou born to a union of a youkai and miko, monk?"

Miroku drew a quick inhale as his eyes widened with understanding, "Humans with souls blessed with spiritual powers have the potential to mate with a youkai and have a hanyou who would have an instinctual control of their abilities for the spiritual powers would nullify or contain the youkai blood!"

"Hn," Sesshomaru inclined his head, "That is what this one has surmised from seeing Horaijima Island."

"But," Sango interrupted, "that doesn't mean that they create a youkai soul, which is what you are implying that the Shikon is, right?"

Sesshomaru turned to look at the barrier again, "Has it not been said that Midoriko was the most powerful of all miko to this current era?" He passed a cold gaze over the group, "This one would say, given what the Shikon no tama, is that she had the potential to create a _new_ soul if paired with a youkai mate."

Miroku frowned, absent-mindedly petting Kirara. "Midoriko-sama and Magatsuhi's battle was said to go for seven days before she pulled Magatsuhi's soul and youki into herself before expelling both their souls from her body forming the Shikon no tama. That could be considered a union in the lightest sense of the word. Even if Magatsuhi originally had a human soul, he likely gathered enough youki in consuming hundreds, if not more, lesser youkai to form his body and power to not only battle Midoriko-sama to a stand-still but to also bring a new youkai soul into being if Midoriko-sama still had the power to match him."

"Hn, this one did not say that the Shikon is a youkai soul, monk. This Sesshomaru said it was a new soul. It was created from the darkness of the youkai power and the lightness of a miko's soul. This one has never heard of such a powerful union before, thus it is no shock that the Shikon is a soul powerful enough to influence most humans and youkai within its reach. It has the potential of both races."

The group lapsed into silence as they thought over the many times that the Shikon had driven those carrying, even just a shard, mad with power. _'Kagome-sama is the only one who has never fallen to the jewel, even carrying it as long as she has. Though others have held a jewel shard and not been corrupted; nearly all have used the power of the shard, even Lord Sesshomaru used a jewel shard once. And yet Kagome-sama has never needed nor wanted the Shikon for its power.' _Miroku mused.

He hesitated for a moment, flicking a glance over at Inuyasha, before turning back to his elder, colder brother. Perhaps it was only his, admittedly, perverted imagination, but he wondered... "Lord Sesshomaru, would not Kagome-sama have the same potential as Midoriko-sama? I would venture to speculate that she has a soul possibly stronger than Midoriko-sama. Her body contained the Shikon no tama for fifteen years, it was neither corrupted nor was she."

Sesshomaru looked down at the monk and Miroku saw his eyes flare golden with heat for a split second. He contained a perverted smile, so he had been right; but before he could speak again the barrier flared a brilliant blue white before collapsing into itself, taking the netting over Inuyasha with it, and sucking all that light and power into Kagome's body.

Two streams of energy, one a pure white and the other the deepest black, flew from her hands. The two energies hovered for a moment over Kagome, each touching her forehead for a brief instant before streaking across the horizon to vanish from view. Kagome gave a deep sigh and let her cupped hands fall to her side. There was no Shikon no tama in them.

Inuyasha was up in a flash and shaking Kagome's shoulders, "Oi, Kagome, where's the Shikon!? Where's that bastard Naraku!? What were those two lights? What did you do such a stupid thing for, wench!?"

Kagome's eyes snapped open and Inuyasha flinched back releasing her as they flared pink and purple before dying into the brilliant blue they were when her powers and soul called the Shikon. "I'm fine, Inuyasha, thanks for asking. And the Shikon isn't your concern anymore, neither is Naraku."

Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango all cringed at her voice, even Sesshomaru frowned hearing what sounded like echoes of other voices within her normally sweet tone. It was unnerving and worrisome. Kirara mewed and jumped onto Sango shoulder, rubbing her cheek to give what comfort she could.

"Kagome, what of the bargain with the Shikon?" Sesshomaru's cool voice snapped her attention to him and he watched as the power flared before it dimmed and her sapphire eyes were once again visible. "The bargains were accepted. One has already been completed, but I have two days before the others take effect and I have to go back home to my era."

Miroku started to take the beads off his right hand, but Kagome yelled, "Don't!"

Everyone froze, looks of shock and horror crossing more than one face. Did that mean…Naraku wasn't… Kagome suddenly started to sway, her face paling. "Maybe I should sit down for a little."

Inuyasha was just able to catch her as she passed out. "Kagome! Hey, I thought you said you were fine wench!"

Miroku and Sango hurried over and checked her out, "Kagome-sama has used a massive amount of energy. She needs rest, but otherwise she seems fine."

Sango added, "Her cuts aren't poisoned and I don't think she's lost too much blood, but we all need to get cleaned up and bandaged after what we've gone through."

Sesshomaru was the only one to notice as the clay miko disappeared into the trees. Looking back at the group as they began to move toward the village of Edo, he frowned, _'She mentioned bargains. What would she have offered for more than one bargain? This one believes that the Shikon is within her once more, yet the monk's wind tunnel is still within his hand else she would not have stopped him from removing the restrictions. This implies that Naraku is not dead.'_ His eyes narrowed at that thought, as he glanced to the limp form that Inuyasha was carrying. _'What have you done, Kagome?'_

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Sesshomaru rested against an old tree looking over the clearing where the well rested. He knew that Kagome would have to leave this era the same way she had come, through the Bone Eaters Well, and he refused to allow her to leave without his questions answered. Curiosity was a weakness to most Inu, and while he could restrain his own nature, Kagome had roused it with her actions two days ago. He would not wait five hundreds years for answers! It was beneath his already limited patience to do so.

She had been unconscious for one full day and had only been awake on this, the last of her two-day limit. He knew she had been gathering her belongings and speaking with each of her group individually or in pairs, likely to say good-bye. Even now she was speaking with his half-brother and the clay miko. His ear gave a slight twitch as he heard light footsteps coming up the path towards the well. He could smell her coming into the clearing, the breeze bringing her jasmine and thunderstorm scent to his nose.

"Sesshomaru! I felt you nearby. I'm glad you're here."

His eyes slid open watching as she set her bags by the well, "Hn, this one has questions, Kagome."

As she continued digging through her bag, she huffed, "Of course you do, everyone does! Could you just take my word for it that Naraku and the Shikon are no longer any threat?"

"No."

Pulling out a small rectangular object she started toward him, "And I can't put you off, can I? You'd see the evasion and get annoyed."

"Hn, it is good that you know this one's response. Thus you will tell this Sesshomaru what became of the hanyou Naraku. This one has already surmised that the Shikon no tama is once more within your body. Yet you spoke of several bargains and this one would hear why you bargained for more than a single concession."

Kagome paused about seven paces in front of him and sighed, "Okay, good assumption. Yes, the Shikon is once more within me. As for Naraku and the bargains…" she paused and lifted the little box to her face. "I'd like to get a few pictures of you real quick before we have this discussion. Do you mind? I've been taking pictures of everyone in the group with my camera, to have something to remember them by when I get home. You don't have to do anything, just stay where you are."

She peeked over the 'camera' in her hands and tried for puppy dog eyes. He silently scoffed, he was Inuyoukai that would not work on him. Still…

"Hn, if this one must."

Her smile lit up her face, "Arigatou, Sesshomaru."

Several clicks and flashes later, he watched her pocket her camera and come to sit near him, careful of the kimono she wore as she settled onto the grass. Sesshomaru observed her in silence, pleased that she had changed to wearing kimonos or hakama several years ago rather than that disgraceful uniform. It did her status no good to travel in cloths more revealing then what a whore would normally wear. He much preferred to see her in the traditional clothing of his time rather then her own era's _unique_ clothing.

Sesshomaru watched her fidget in silence. He had already told her what knowledge he desired. There was no need to repeat oneself and he had learned in traveling with his half-brother's pack that she could never stay silent for long.

Kagome looked over at him and gave a sad smile, "I will miss our discussions, Sesshomaru. I've enjoyed getting to know you better this last year. It was wonderful to speak with someone of your intellect and skills."

"Hn, naturally." At her pout he gave a half smile, pleased that she would miss their interactions. "I will likely not have the pleasure of such interesting conversations again until I find you again in your era; unless it is possible for you to return again through the well."

Her smile, which had grown happier with his informal language, died at the end of his sentence. "No, I'm afraid that is impossible. It will never be a portal through time again."

Sesshomaru gave a slight frown. She had gone from happiness to a deep sadness in moments. He tilted his head, breathing deeply of both her scent and the emotions that layered it, _'Not just sad, but devastated'_. It left a bitter taste at the back of his throat to smell it.

He had come to prefer her scent to any others, it spoke both of her power and her nature. It was often as sweet as her nature, but now it smelt deluded with miasma and honey, a cloying combination. A foreboding swept through him and his beast stirred in response. "Kagome, where is Naraku?"

"It was part of one of the bargains." She glanced down at her hands as they twisted around each other before she stilled them. Looking at him for a second she turned to stare at the well. "Do you believe in balance, Sesshomaru?"

She gave him no time to respond, "I do, though I grew up on a Shinto shrine, I have seen too much to discount that the Kami created everything with balance- light and dark, day and night, summer and winter, heat and cold, ying and yang. There is a balance also between youkai and humans, put in place by the Kami in the form of monks and mikos."

Her sapphire eyes turned to him, "The bargains are also about balance. To free Midoriko and Magatsuhi from the jewel, I needed to offer caretakers for the Shikon." A half smile formed on her face, "He's very young you know, even being three centuries old. He doesn't like to be left alone yet, not when he was left alone for nearly two centuries. He still has a lot to learn and he needs, as he said, guides."

Sesshomaru stiffened, the relax air around them fading as his eyes focused intently on her and the ominous feeling grew, "It is no surprise to this one that the Shikon chose you as a caretaker, you are well suited to be one. But why would Naraku also be chosen? This one cannot see the half-breed being pleased by such a thing."

Giving a deep sigh, Kagome tugged on a strand of her hair, "At first he wasn't, but it was partly my suggestion. The Shikon had already wanted the both of us to take the place of Midoriko and Magatsuhi, but I didn't want to fight an endless battle for centuries. So all three of us made a truce, sat down, and worked out a compromise."

"And what was this compromise, miko?" Sesshomaru growled as the black feeling grew and fully awakened his primal side. Slowly he stood and stared down at her, eyes partially tinted red. She gave him an apprehensive look, rose to her feet as well, and started to ramble, looking everywhere but at him, "It's kind of tied into my other bargains as well. It's become rather convoluted to tell you the truth. But Naraku gets power, in the form of influence over both the Shikon and I, and really it's a second chance for his soul. And everyone else will get loved ones returned and there will be fewer deaths once the final bargain is enacted. And…"

He reached out, grabbed her shoulders, and shook her lightly as he snarled, "_Kagome!_ What have you promised in return?"

Kagome lifted her hands and rested them on his forearms. She closed her eyes and he could smell the tears before they even glimmered on her eyelashes, "Life for life, bond for bond, time for time."

She opened her eyes to meet his now crimson gaze and he saw grief in her blue eyes, "The bargains had to balance out. I've done what I could for my friends. Even for you."

Sesshomaru felt a rumble start in his chest at her words, his bestial half now clawing at his control as dread mounted. His hands tightened on her shoulders. She winced, but didn't pull away. Instead she leaned her head over and rested her cheek against the back of his left hand.

Her hands lightly rubbed his forearms as a tremulous smile met his stare, "I know how much you care for Rin. How much it would hurt you to see her die, even of old age. She's part of your pack now. So I made a bargain for her life. She will be an inuyoukai, just like you. She will live as long as you now." Her hands came up and caressed his cheeks, the markings jagged with his control partially gone. Her touched startled him, but it, unsurprisingly, soothed his primal half. Sesshomaru let her trace his features, even as he watched her face: tense, poised for an attack.

Finally he growled out. "What was the price?"

More tears came and spilled down her face, some falling onto his hand. Kagome turned her face down as she whispered, "My bond with you."

In that instant a thick red ribbon became visible, linking their souls, their hearts together. **_'Mate!'_** his primal half howled as his eyes widened. Soul mates! It was rare, even for youkai, to find their fated half. Most often, the higher youkai married for political reasons, for power or strength, for the breeding of their line. To find his soul mate… in the blink of an eye Sesshomaru saw a pink light flare and slash at the ribbon as close as it could possibly get to his chest. He would have moved away, would have stopped it, but it was over in an instant. The ribbon was severed.

For a moment he felt monumental grief and agony, his bestial half howling and thrashing in a pain so acute it stole his breath and frayed his control to the breaking point. **_'Mate! Lost! Dead! MATE!'_**

And then it was over, the grief and agony fading away as if nothing had ever been there and Sesshomaru drew a deep breath. He felt empty, as if a part of him that he had never known was there had been shorn away. Only after it was gone did he notice it had even been there to begin with. The smell of blood suddenly filled his senses. _Her_ blood. Quickly he removed his hands from her shoulders, staring at his bloody claws. Soul mates were eternal, those ties could not be broken so easily! What had she done!

"What have you done?!" He snarled only to freeze when he looked at her. The grief he had seen in her earlier was minor compared to what he saw before him now. The agony he had felt only moments ago was written in her eyes and across her face. It was an ageless desolation. His agony should have been like hers, it should not have faded! One did not recover so easily after losing one's true mate!

Sesshomaru's mind flashed to the ribbon cut so close to his chest, not in the center as a bond would normally be severed. Eyes widened in anger. She had taken the recoil, all the agony of a severed fate bond into her own soul! He had none of it!

The sorrow and grief darkened her eyes to black and it suddenly felt as if a gulf had been built between them. They stood feet apart and yet she was now hundreds more away from him. She opened her mouth, but choked, doubling over as if in physical pain. Gasping for breath, coughing, as tears streamed down her face Kagome stumbled even as he reached for her.

"Kukuku. She belongs to us now, _Lord_ Sesshomaru." Instantly his eyes flared brilliant red and his fangs and claws enlarged as he saw the vague outline of Naraku form behind his _mate_ and wrap possessive arms around her waist.

"Release my mate, half-breed. I will tear you limb from limb for daring to touch what is mine!" He could barely form words so close was he to shifting forms.

"But she isn't yours," spoke a new voice, a young male's voice. Sesshomaru noticed a vaguely humanoid form waver into being in front of Kagome. It leaned back to rest its head against Kagome's stomach and above Naraku's hands. He watched as eyes of pink opened to look at him. "Kagome belongs only to us now. All key ties from this era have been cut. You were the last one."

Sesshomaru flashed forward, attempting to strike this being and Naraku both, but a pink barrier threw him back. He rumbled a menacing growl as he stalked around the barrier. "You will release Kagome and I will make your death swift, Shikon no tama."

"Ah, my name is Yuuto now. Kagome-chan helped me find a name. And that wasn't part of our bargain, Sesshomaru-sama." Yuuto paused before he spoke again in a sing-song tone, "Bond for bond, daughter for wife, life for life- bargain balanced, bargain **done**."

So deep in his rage was Sesshomaru that he did not notice how they had moved closer and closer to the well, until Naraku grabbed Kagome's bag, one arm still wrapped around her possessively.

"It's time for us to leave now, Sesshomaru-sama." Yuuto stated.

"You cannot think that I will forget this, forget her! That I will not find her!" He snapped, as he attempted to break the barrier again. Even in his burning rage, he dare not use Bakusaiga, not with Kagome between both of them. She looked dead to the world, the grief making her blind and deaf to everything around her. Even now he could smell her tears, her sorrow and agony. It filled his throat, choking him, and drove his beast to a fury even higher!

Yuuto laughed, "You will not even remember her. No one will. It was her final bargain. In return for all the unnatural deaths that the shattering of the jewel caused to be returned, Kagome agreed to have her presence wiped from this time. It will only be an unclear memory of a kind miko, no name and no face, that helped bring the Shikon no tama together and died to wish it gone forever that you will remember. That anyone will remember."

With that said, Naraku gathered up Kagome as the Shikon melted away with a final laugh and jumped into the well. Sesshomaru stilled the rush of panic his beast felt at forgetting the last five years, of forgetting _Kagome_. **_MATE!_** Instead of rushing to the well, his strategic mind came up with a scheme. He spoke to his primal half, even as he licked his claws clean of her blood,_ 'I will not forget all of her! Even if I do not remember, _you will_. Remember the taste of her blood, remember the smell of her scent. If we forget all else, remember the taste and scent of our mate!"_

His primal half rumbled an agreement before he bundled that taste, that scent deep within his soul letting his beast curl around it to hide and protect it, even as a massive wave of power exploded from the well and spread across all of Japan.

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**Please leave a review on your way out. Let me know what you think. Comments and criticism welcome as long as it isn't pointless flames.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Kuroko no Basket. They belong to their respective authors.**

******Author's Note: Thanks for waiting. I hope you all enjoy the chapter, let me know what you think about the characters' personalities and their interactions with each other. :) **

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The Battlefield of Basketball: It's Just Began

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Chapter 1: Outside of Time

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Her mind was blank, not with numbness, but agony. A pain so deep and searing that she could see nothing but whiteness within her own mind. It was as if someone had taken a sword and cut into her soul. She was bleeding, but not blood, instead her own essence was gushing out of her.

She did not remember who she was, only this aching pain that did not fade and did not stop throbbing, as if in time to her heartbeat…if she had one that is. Did she? Was she alive? Or was she dead, suffering an endless agony?

She did not know how long she lay there, before the throbbing slowed down. It did not stop, she doubted that it ever would or could; but finally Kagome could think again. That's right. She was Kagome- always and only Kagome. But…

Tears slipped out of closed eyes. They didn't know her anymore…_he_ didn't know her anymore. A sob slipped out, she was alone, alone…ALONE!

"Shhh, little miko, you're never alone. Not anymore." Arms slipped around her and pulled her into a lap as her head was laid against a cloth-covered chest. She knew who it was, she remembered, but she couldn't refuse the comfort offered. Kagome curled her hands into the kimono and cried, even as a second smaller body curled up behind her and two different hands slid through her hair again and again in smooth soothing motions.

"It'll be alright, Kagome-chan. You'll see. It will be alright."

Kagome shook her head; it would never be alright again. She had given everything for her friends, but the price was so high! If she had known that Maru was her soul mate, her _red string of fate_, she would never have made that bargain! She would have offered something else, anything else! More tears fell, she had fallen in love with him as they traveled together, but now… '_I will never be whole again.'_

She felt more than heard the hiss the Naraku released. '_Had she said that last thought out loud?'_

"Yes, you did, little miko! And do you think he would have ever accepted a human, Ka-go-me? For all that you are immune to time, you are still **human**. Even if _Lord_ Sesshomaru accepted you, did you really think his court would have? The higher youkai? The rest of the governing body that rules all of Japan's youkai population?

"And what would you have done when you needed to kill your opponents for your place as the Lady of the West? To sully your hands with the blood and guts of your foes, who never did you any true wrong? You are too soft. You were not created for violence, though…" His voice changed to a purr, "You can show quite a vicious nature when someone you care about is threatened. Perhaps there is a bit of a youkai in you after all."

His words cut her, even as they stopped her tears, for they were her own thoughts as well. Kagome had never seen Maru- no, she needed to stop with her private name for him, perhaps with time and distance she would be able to slowly forget about him, so... She had never seen Sesshomaru-sama display anything towards her that gave her hope that he considered her as a possible life partner. He saw just an ally, perhaps a friend.

But her foolish heart had still hoped and wanted more; but even with a red string of fate, she was just Kagome. Normal, average looking Kagome. And that ribbon of fate was severed now. Sesshomaru-sama- no, she could not even say his name without the new wound on her soul flaring in white-hot agony. _He_ would have the chance to find someone worthy of his status and youkai nature. She gulped back a sob at that thought. She needed to stop crying, it felt like she had already cried an ocean of tears.

"Naraku-kun is right Kagome-chan, besides you have us. You'll always have us, and right now we could use some help. I think we may be in some… er… rather small, mind you, really small spot of trouble."

Slowly she pulled her emotions back into herself, even as the ache of that last severed bond joined all the other severed bonds that her soul had sustained in the course of this day. Bond of friendship forged in blood and battle caused their own deep agony when cut, though not enough to send her into shock like _his _had. But her new _companions_ needed her. She would have a long time to grieve, all of eternity it seemed; but right now she needed to think about something else, _anything_ _else!_

Opening her eyes, Kagome turned from the purple kimono and glimpse of pale chest in front of her to look at...not the Shikon any more… Yuuto and she froze, not staring at him, but past him. What on earth?! Or more precisely were on earth were they!? All she could see was an endless stream of blue and white liquid lights against a black background. They were sitting in the center of the portal! "Why aren't we in the well house at home? We should have been there by now!"

Spinning her head back to look at Yuuto, she added, "The well always takes seconds to use. Why are we stuck in the time stream?"

Yuuto scratched at his cheek, "Eto, actually Naraku-kun and I have been talking while you were out of it and we think that we're maybe…possibly outside of time. The portal could only work to take you between five hundred years of history, because for a few moments you were outside of the time stream."

Kagome paused, eyes wide with shock. "That….actually makes sense."

She moved to get up to pace, but Naraku tightened his hold on her. Still struggling to get up, she looked over her shoulder and glared at him, "Naraku! Let me up!"

He nuzzled her cheek with his, "No, you can talk from where you are. I happen to like you close to me."

Kagome was close to smacking him right across the face for his rather perverted actions and words before she looked him right in the eyes and stopped. It was well hidden, behind a veneer of cruelty and arrogance, but she could just spot the loneliness of a soul left alone by everyone and the darkness of a soul that had made so many evil choices. She stifled a sigh. There was a reason she had agreed to this bargain and part of it was for Naraku. Kagome knew that she could never love him in the romantic sense as he had wanted from Kikyo, but she also knew that she was soft-hearted enough that, if given enough time, she could come to care for him, perhaps even love him like a brother or cousin…despite all he was and all he had done.

"Fine." Turning to look away from both the arrogant smirk and surprised eyes she glanced at Yuuto. He was in the body of a ten year old with straight black hair to his shoulder blades, glowing pink eyes and a silver kimono. As she watched, he came closer to her and curled up in front of her with his head in her lap. With a sigh, she started to pet his hair. She knew that Yuuto was even worse than Naraku. The loneliness of two centuries had almost driven him mad.

It was part of the reason that the shattering of the jewel had been such a catastrophe. Yuuto had suddenly had access to all the knowledge and experiences of any person that touched a jewel shard. In his eagerness for more, he drove nearly every single holder mad with the power that came in exchange for that transfer of information. She was one of the rare exceptions, in part because Yuuto had known her, had in effect grown up with her, at least subconsciously since he had still been asleep for most of her first fifteen years. The other reason was simply that her soul was comforting to those around her, Yuuto included. Kagome knew she could easily come to love Yuuto; he was still so child-like, even though he had the youkai nature for violence and bloodshed.

Turning back to the original conversation she continued where she left off. "I've always wondered how I could travel five hundred years into the past. If I was actually going through history than what I did in the Warring States Era should have effected the present, but there was no mention of our hunt for the Shikon, or of Naraku, or of the final battle in any of the history stored at my home shrine. It would have been there, if it was anywhere in my time, since it would have pertained to the Shikon no tama. But if I was stepping outside of the time stream to travel back, maybe it won't have taken effect until after I returned for good to my home era." Here she paused in thought before continuing, "Though, with the last five years now altered history, it's kind of like a time loop and irrelevant at this point. I don't think it will make any differences when we get back. Still, why did the well stop working?"

Yuuto spoke up softly, "I have a lot of power Kagome-chan, but I'm not a Kami. Even I couldn't have rewritten the past five years without the help of the well. I think the Kami were involved in the creation of this well for some reason. I've passed through it enough times with you as shards that I know the feel of its power. When we jumped in and the final bargain was put into play I tapped into the well's power. I think that's why it stopped. I zapped up most of it's strength, leaving just enough for the portal to still exist outside of time, but not enough that it will be able to take us back to your era like it should."

She sighed, "So we're basically stuck outside of time until time actually catches up to when I went in?"

"Hai."

Kagome let her head thunk back against Naraku's chest staring up at the lights above her and the darkness beyond it. "It's going to be a long, _long_ five hundred years."

"Tsk, tsk Ka-go-me. This is good. We will be able to get to know one another in this time." Naraku leaned over her to smile. "We are a triangle at this point. All three of us are connected to one another but we have sharp edges, more likely to attack than share with each other. But give us five hundred years to live and meld together and we will instead become similar to a circle."

Kagome groaned and reached up to rub her eyes with her free hand as the other continued to comb through Yuuto's hair. He was almost purring in her lap as he enjoyed her attention. "Either that or we'll be ready to kill each other." She muttered.

"It won't come to that Kagome-chan. I wanted the two of you as my guardians for a reason. You balance each other: one kind, one cruel; one light, one dark. Plus, I'll help to stabilize that balance. It works out perfectly."

"We'll see Yuuto-kun." Kagome gave a tired half smile. "I do have a lot of information and knowledge that both Midoriko and Magatsuhi's souls gave me before they left. I suppose this would be a good time to sort through it and learn what I can from it all."

"Exactly." Naraku purred. "And I would recommend you learn how to take your soul out of your body first. I'll even help you since I know how to do much the same thing. We will then be able to put your body into a stasis state so you won't require food or sleep in the coming five hundred years."

"Is that what you both are doing? Using your soul to manifest an actual body?"

"Hai! It's actually easier to do this here then it was before we left. For some reason we have solid bodies here. I like it!"

Kagome teasingly tugged on Yuuto's hair, "It's new to you, of course you like it."

Leaning back she closed her eyes and yawned, "I really want to sleep for twelve hours or more and put this day behind me first before I go looking through all of Midoriko's knowledge. I'll get started tomorrow."

"Excellent. And what information from Magatsuhi you cannot utilize I'm sure Yuuto and I shall put to very_ very _good use."

"…That's rather worrying when you put it like that, Naraku."

Yuuto giggled as Naraku laughed, "Kukuku. Silly miko, of course it is."

* * *

Seventeen days later, Kagome grinned at Naraku and Yuuto; exhausted and weak, but outside of her body. It had been much harder than she thought it would be to get her soul to leave her body. Naraku and Yuuto made it look so easy; though they didn't have physical bodies to start with at this point so maybe that explained it. Still, it was good timing since she was nearly out of the food left in her pack and had run out of water one day before this. Her soul looked very similar to her natural body. The major differences being she was wearing a sky blue kimono, instead of the green kimono with sakura petals on her body, and her eyes were glowing to match the blue.

Naraku and Yuuto glanced at one another, but said nothing about the open wounds seen on her body. It would likely be centuries, if not longer, before the broken bonds her soul had weathered through would heal over. Even than they both knew she would never be the same… and consequentially neither would they.

* * *

There was no time within the portal. No day or night, simply endless light and darkness mixing and swirling together. The little miko had tried to keep track of the days, but with no need to sleep or eat, it soon became a lost cause. Still all three had been busy since they had come to be stuck here. Kagome was working through Midoriko's knowledge and life experiences and she had learned how to pass on to Naraku and Yuuto Magatsuhi's information. Yuuto had even learned how to share the information he had gathered when he was merely hundreds of shards spread all across Japan. Kagome was fascinated with the culture and history of the many youkai Yuuto had inhabited, while he was interested in the abilities that many had and if he could replicate them. It was an opportunity to experiment and gave him a way to spend his time.

At first, Naraku had chafed at being unable to complete his wish of world domination and to remove his humanity, to be fully youkai. In the beginning, he was prone to fits of rage and would verbally lash out at either the little miko or the jewel. Granted, he would never do so physically, both had great power, and he thought Kagome might still be capable of purifying him into oblivion. She also mothered the former Shikon and while Yuuto still had a youkai's harsh practicality and cruelty, she was able to temper much of it, whereas he would have enhanced it. Yuuto, if a fight did break out, would choose Kagome over him. Better not to chance it at all, and learn to compromise.

Still, he had noticed that very slowly he too had started to mellow with the constant companionship of Kagome and Yuuto. It by no means changed his nature, he was still cruel and manipulative, but… he was perhaps a little kinder to them than any other being he had ever dealt with.

A conversation with Kagome, some time ago had sparked his interest. She had idly wished to see how her former comrades were faring. Kanna had had the ability to spy on his enemies through her mirror. He was her creator, so he should be able to recreate what she was capable of. He had set to work trying to find a way to bend the energy and time stream that was moving by them so that he could see into Japan, to see what was happening now.

Finally, he worked out the method, but it would require all three of them for this to actually succeed. Now, how to get their help without them knowing what he was doing. Not that they would not help him if he simply explained what he wished to do, but… manipulations and schemes help one pass the time. _'This could be fun,'_ he smirked.

Naraku stood up and headed over to where Kagome was sitting in a meditative pose. Kneeling behind her, he put his hands on her shoulders and whispered into her ear, "Wake up, Ka-go-me. I wish to talk to you about something."

Slowly she came back to awareness and he watched her head turn towards him as she opened her eyes. "Naraku, I wasn't asleep and you know it! Did you have to interrupt me now? I was right in the middle of studying swordsmanship!"

"I simply need you to link your powers to mine. There is an experiment I wish to try."

Kagome crossed her arms and huffed, "At least you're asking this time! Last time you tried to just take my powers. I had a massive headache and you had burns for ages because of it."

He smirked and reached out to caress her cheek. "At least I learn, little miko. Inuyasha could not say the same."

He watched her wince at the reminder of that baka dog, but her still open wound from cutting his bond to her did not start gushing out her essence again. He had taken to occasionally saying their names to slowly desensitize her and help the wounds to start to close over as she came to terms with her loss. The one name he did not touch was the Inu Lord's, she occasionally still went catatonic when he had first tried and so he had stopped…for now.

"What is it with you and experiments, Naraku? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a scientist from one of the labs back in my era."

"Is that a yes then?"

She sighed, "Fine, what is it for this time? Last time you wanted to see if we could blend abilities. It was interesting, enlightening even," She tossed him a glare, "once we tried it with everyone in agreement to what we were doing."

He leaned over to nuzzle her cheek with his, a now favorite pastime. "It's a surprise. I simply need to borrow your ability to pass through barriers and some of your knowledge of Japan. As well as a few of Yuuto's abilities."

"You know I don't really like surprises anymore, Naraku. Not after you and Yuuto kept trying sneak attacks on me to help hone my 'situational awareness'."

"It was for your own good, Kagome-chan! You're doing much better with swords because you have a better understanding of your surroundings."

Yuuto bounced over and curled up next to Kagome laying his head in her lap. She tugged on his hair, "Well, we'll see how you like unpleasant surprises when we get back to the modern era and I drag you both out to do something."

Before Yuuto could nag her about what she was plotting, Naraku intervened. Though, he was quite proud of her growing manipulative streak and would claim all honing of it. "Since you are both here, I will start."

Kagome sighed, "Fine, but if I get another migraine, I'm ignoring you and your experiments for a long time to come."

He gave a half-smile, "Very well, but you will like this Kagome."

A skeptical look was his only answer as he reached around Kagome to touch Yuuto's shoulder, while keeping his left hand on her shoulder. They had found that if they wished to share knowledge or power their soul bodies needed to be touching one another. Closing his eyes, Naraku felt the others linking their power to his own. It was an intoxicating feeling, to have all that collective power at his disposal. If he hadn't known that both of his companion's powers could never be taken by force and absorbed into his own, he might have tried that long ago.

Shaking his head, Naraku focused. Now, to see if this would work. Slowly, he pulled the combined knowledge all three of them had on Japan's geography to create an anchor and meshed it with the framework of the mirror spell he had crafted. Next, he took Yuuto's ability to tap into the well's power and Kagome's ability to bypass barriers to also tap into the time stream beyond. Finally using his ability to create barriers he tied everything together and then separated it from them to a space on their far right. As his barrier to maintain the connections snapped into place he carefully let go of the other's power and opened his eyes.

Looking over to where natural sunlight was streaming into their little corner of frozen time, Naraku smirked. It worked. He laughed at the shocked and excited expressions on his companion's faces, as he examined the massive mirror he had created. It was easily at least 12 meters tall and just as wide. It gave a bird's eye view of all the islands of Japan. Standing up he meandered over to it and reaching out he rested a hand on the mirror. The surface rippled like it was a pool of water rather than a solid glass mirror. "Show me Edo village."

Again the surface rippled before Naraku was looking down at the village he'd requested. Turning to look at Kagome who had come up to his side along with Yuuto, he smiled, "Show me the monk and demon slayer."

He saw the tears come into her eyes before he was knocked over by Kagome. Naraku landed on his back with Kagome clinging to his chest, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"I told you that you would like it, little miko."

"I do! I can see how everyone is doing now! We can watch history pass! We won't get bored anymore!"

"It does have limitations, Kagome. It will only be Japan that we will see, nothing beyond these islands. It will need to be given commands, or as you would say, programmed to show certain people or places, perhaps even events."

"I can live with those limitations! I will still be able to watch over all my old friends!" Kagome scrambled up off of him and hurried over to the mirror looking at the monk and demon slayer who also had a group of four children around them: two twin girls that looked around ten, one boy that was possibly seven, and a little one that couldn't be over four years old.

Naraku sat up and smirked as he watched Kagome and Yuuto both play with the mirror and the abilities it offered. It looked like this had worked out well; hopefully it would drive home to Kagome that she wasn't a part of their lives anymore. That she belonged to him and Yuuto. _They_ were who she was to go to for help and companionship now, not the old inu-tachi. He would enjoy seeing how she reacted to the humans dying, it was a part of nature and she needed to come to terms with this. They still had close to four hundred and eighty years until they reached her home, but, even more so, Kagome needed to let the Inu Lord go. This would be an effective way to do so, as she watched him move on she would then have no choice but to do so herself…well, only time would tell at this point.

* * *

Yuuto was not happy; in fact, he would go so far as to say that he was miserable. He silently snarled at the scene in front of him. Ever since Naraku had created the mirror Kagome had spent much of her time in front of it. She didn't ignore them persay, but she gave them less attention. He didn't like it. **At all.**

Granted, at first it was fun to use the mirror, but he didn't like how much time Kagome gave to watching her friends and acquaintances. Though she mostly seemed to focus on the humans rather than the two dog demons. She even spent more time watching the fox kit than the dogs… He still didn't like it.

He would freely admit that he was a very selfish creature and he did not like _his_ Kagome-chan focusing so much on others, it was rather maddening. He had to share her with Naraku and he knew that once they came through the well both he and Naraku would have to share her with her biological family and human friends, but he had wanted these five hundred years with her to himself. Gnashing his teeth, he admitted that would not be happening with the mirror in place. A part of him wanted to smash it to pieces, but Naraku had given him an inkling about why he had created it and Yuuto could grudgingly see his point. Still, at least she could not interact with them; that would make it much worse.

"No! Megumi don't go that way! It's not safe!" Yuuto came up to stand by Kagome, curious about why she was so agitated about the youngest child of the monk and slayer playing in the woods around Edo. As he looked over the scene, Yuuto picked up the same thing Kagome did. There was a snake youkai hiding just beyond the protective barriers around the village watching as the girl played with the other village children and all came closer and closer to the border.

Yuuto watched as Megumi stumbled outside of the barrier and the snake coiled before lunging. Kagome shouted 'NO!' and threw herself at the mirror. The ripples of both her hands hitting the reflection were large and completely obscured the sight of the girl getting eaten. Yuuto frowned, Kagome needed to get used to this. Humans die. She should know this better than most. She was still human herself, despite her immortality. Though now that they could blend their powers it could be debated that once she was back into her own body and their souls rested in hers' that some of their abilities might affect her physical state.

The ripples died down and Yuuto's jaw dropped in shock and worry. There was a glowing _blue _barrier surrounding the little girl and keeping the snake youkai, that was continually striking at it, from getting in. Looking over at Kagome, Yuuto felt a sinking sensation at seeing the excited look in her eyes as she seemed to focus beyond where she currently was and the blue barrier brightened.

"Stay where you are Megumi. Stay there until your parents come. I'll keep you safe." Yuuto watched as the girl looked around in confusion and tears before plopping down onto the ground. Could she hear Kagome?! This couldn't get any worse!

As he saw the monk and demon slayer running from the village, the other children having run back screaming the moment the snake youkai showed itself, they attacked the snake with all the ferocity that youkai parents would have if their children were in danger. The monk then came up to the barrier, "It's alright Megumi. You can let the barrier down now. I'm pleased that you have spiritual powers, though I wish you didn't have to activate them in this type of situation."

The girl sniffled, "Not me, Papa. Nice lady did it."

Yuuto bit back a curse as the monk and slayer looked around in curiosity. It could always get worse. Kagome smiled, through the tears in her eyes as the wounds from the monk and slayer's bonds started to ooze again. "Hello Miroku. Hello Sango. I'm pleased you are happy and doing so well."

They both startled and looked around for the owner of the sweet voice they heard on the wind. "May we see you, m'lady? We wish to thank the one who saved our youngest daughter."

A sad laugh was their answer as the barrier started to fade. Yuuto watched as Kagome's strength waned; it was too much to hold a connection open between them for very long. "I will always keep watch over you, my friends. You and your descendants, for as long as I am able. Be safe."

With her last words, Kagome removed her hands from the mirror and collapsed in front of it, crying into her hands. Yuuto rushed over and hovered over her, not sure what to do. Comfort her or berated her. Congratulate her or smash the mirror. Carefully he started to pat her on the shoulder as he looked around for Naraku. Instantly he noticed the spider standing some distance away with a black frown on his face. Their eyes crossed and Yuuto could see that he was just as displeased. But there was nothing they could do. Kagome would never let them destroy the mirror. Not anymore. Yuuto suppressed a snarl and heaved a sigh instead. This just got more complicated.

* * *

In the coming weeks, Naraku and Yuuto could only watch as Kagome went into a frenzy of activity. She tested the mirror more than ever, looking for ways to interact with the people moving through time. She focused on nothing else, ignoring them and both were moving from anger to rage at this point. If she didn't stop soon they had agreed that they would remove the mirror and damn the consequences.

But after three weeks, she suddenly left the mirror and came over to sit with them. With a groan, she rested her head in Naraku's lap and pulled Yuuto over so she could cuddle with him, "I think I've figured it out. I know what I want to do for the next four hundred plus years."

Naraku sneered down at her, "And what is that, little miko? Guard you friends through all of history, watch over their descendants so not one hair on their insignificant little heads is harmed?"

She opened an eye to look up and frown at him, "No need to be so derogatory, Naraku. That's part of it, but not all that I want to do."

He scoffed, "And you will ignore all those around you to ensure their safety will you not?"

"Just because I was distracted for a little while…."

"A little while! It was three weeks of you ignoring us Kagome-chan! Three weeks!"

Kagome looked down, startled at Yuuto's venom-laced words. "Was it really that long?"

Naraku harshly tugged on some of her hair to get her to look back up at him, "Yes. We were very close to shattering the mirror, little miko."

She gasped, "You can't do that! Than I won't be able to save the youkai!"

They both froze at her words, "What do you mean by that, Ka-go-me?"

Kagome didn't say anything for a while. She just stared off into space as she started to comb through Yuuto's hair and unwillingly he relaxed with the comforting motion. He'd missed her doing it. "I've never mentioned this, but just before the final battle I went home for a break. While I was there I decided to test a theory."

She paused, than looked up a Naraku, "While I was at my shrine I pulsed out as much of my power as I could to see if there were any youkai in the vicinity. I didn't find any, not a single trace. Then I decided to head out into the country via train towards the west. If there were any youkai left, _he _would have been one of them." Kagome looked down at the back of Yuuto's head and drew a deep breath, "I couldn't see his ancestral home being unprotected if he still lived, but… there was nothing, not even rubble left."

She stared at the mirror for a minute. "I tried several more times, in the north and south of Japan, but I never so much as felt a single pulse of active youkai anywhere. I felt traces here and there, even families that must have had a youkai ancestor, because there was a touch of power in their souls that resonated with mine. But in all of Japan, there was no living youkai aura, any power that lingered was faded and centuries old."

She grimaced and closed her eyes, "When I got back home, I scoured the archives at the shrine. Previously, I'd searched for information about the Shikon, but this time I looked through the history that we had after the Feudal Era." Kagome subconsciously pulled Yuuto closer as she curled into herself. "With all the history we have, I didn't find much. But what's worse is that I found mention of a Hunt that spanned decades, possibly centuries. It didn't talk about warriors, but about monks and priestesses who traveled Japan wiping away the darkness from Japan. There were no names, but it was always called The Hunt." Naraku watched as a crystal tear slid down her cheek, "The last mention was maybe a century before my time and all it said was _'Removing the taint of demons from across the land has finally been completed. There are none now left, The Hunt is done.' _By the time we reach my era, youkai and true spiritual powers were thought to be a myth. They were legends of times long passed that could never have been real."

For a long time no one spoke as both Naraku and Yuuto digested the information that she had given. It made more sense now that she had been so untrained when they first battled, Naraku mused. She had been the last true priestess in her time. There were none to teach or train her. None even knew that she had the ability.

"And you want to change this, Kagome-chan? Why? Couldn't the Kami have decided that the youkai's time was done?"

Yuuto's voice was quiet and soft, but Kagome clenched her jaw. "No!" she hissed, "I refuse to believe that the youkai should be completely obliterated from history. Why would the Kami create them, let them survive for thousands of years, only to kill them all before my era?!"

"Perhaps they were not meant to survive to your time, Ka-go-me. Youkai do not change quickly and you have said that the humans both increase as a race and advance rapidly in the next several hundred years." Naraku curled his lips as if the next words offended him, though he still said them, "Perhaps it is their punishment for killing so many and so often, that they are now hunted by those they once preyed upon."

Kagome released Yuuto and sat up, shaking her head, "I don't want to see the balance of youkai and humans degraded like that. It might explain why humans are so destructive towards nature in my era. The balance is gone! I just….I just don't want the youkai to completely disappear! And, I know a lot about the history of Japan in the next five hundred years so I may as well put it to good use!"

She crossed her arms and continued mulishly, "Either way, I have the chance to change it now, and that's what I'm going to do!"

Naraku's elegant raised eyebrow spoke clearly of his skepticism and Yuuto frown conveyed his doubt. Kagome huffed, "I didn't say it would be easy, but after testing it I've found that I can consistently protect people from this side of the mirror if I focus enough and I can get them to hear me too. I can even visit some of them in their dreams if I mediate with my back touching the mirror.

"Actually, I've found that I can do a lot of things as long as I'm touching the mirror. Though," she frowned, "it's rather draining and I still haven't figured out if I can actually send my soul to visit someone on the physical plain. I'd like to do that; it would make it easier than sending cryptic messages through dreams and such. Plus I could visit with my friends!"

Naraku and Yuuto shared a look at that, before the spider smoothly intervened, "I doubt that would be a very safe option, Kagome."

"Why not?"

He gestured to her body, resting some distance away. "Your body would still be here outside of time, while your soul would be within time. You may actually sever your soul's connection to your body if you did such a thing, particularly for a long stretch of time, or many times over a short timeframe."

With Kagome looking rather mutinous, Yuuto decided both to ignore her talk of visiting her former friends and try to soften her irritation. "You might not want to be too visible when you try to change history anyways, Kagome-chan. What name would you give the youkai you interacted with? What history could you give the ruling youkai that they would be satisfied with and trust you for advise and guidance? And then, what would you do when we're back in your time and you're in your physical body again? "

She looked thoughtful now rather than angry, and so he continued to press his advantage. "It might be better for you to be like a mysterious advisor, rather than the person leading this big change. You can build up your reputation by doing little things and protecting the regular everyday youkai. The rumors will spread and by the time that you talk to one of the higher lords they will likely already know you by your reputation.

"If you give them enough time and warning the youkai lords will take care of their vassals and those who live on their lands. Especially if it's to ensure the survival of their entire race!"

Kagome gave a long sigh, "You make good points, but I think it will give weight to some of the warnings I'll want to give if I can show up physically at least a couple times in history."

Naraku slanted a glance to Yuuto who gave him a slight smirk, "We might be able to balance out the strain of sending you into time and keeping you tethered to your body as few times throughout history, Kagome. But it will likely take most of our power each time and perhaps even some of the well's power."

She beamed at them, "So that means you'll both help me?"

Naraku smirked, "I would rather not be one of only two youkai around when we return to your time."

"I second that, Kagome-chan!"

"Oh, thank you!" She tackled both of them in a hug. "If all of us work together I'm sure we can keep most of the youkai safe through the next few centuries!"

"Kukuku. And think of all the blackmail material we'll have by the end of this."

"Naraku!" Kagome punched his arm as he continued to laugh with Yuuto giggling along with him. She glared at both of them, before she finally started laughing too. The future suddenly looked much brighter and Kagome smiled as she looked over to the mirror and the view of Edo village. _'I'll keep as many of you safe as I can, this I promise!'_

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**A special thanks to all who reviewed my first chapter. Thanks so much for the comments and encouragement! :)**

Quick notes to a few reviewers...

Yoruko Rhapsodos: I might try to do another story sometime which features Kagome with a guy from Kuroko no Basket, but it will be hard to figure out which person would match her in life experience… maybe Teppei would be a good fit.

DragonSlayer2187: Thanks for the review and guess, but no Sesshomaru is not Kuroko. :)

Simplistic Practicality: Thanks so much for the review, it was very thoughtful and encouraging for me, particularly since it was my first one.

Bloodcherry: Thank you for the review, it makes me happy to see that you enjoyed it.

**Please leave a review on your way out. Comments and criticism welcome as long as it isn't pointless flames.**


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